About a year ago, we took a tour of about 60 gas stations from Wareham to Yarmouth, noting a sizable discrepancy in prices for self-serve regular gas. We haven't repeated that trip, but when gas prices have slipped elsewhere for seven weeks running and locally things started moving downward about a week and a half ago, we thought it worth another look.

During an off-Cape trip last weekend we saw prices north of Boston averaging $2.65 at stations with outlets in Barnstable, and one independent station at $2.59.

In reporting the story last year, a sage from Automobile Association of America made the point that gas stations don't make money when prices rise; they make money when prices fall. Holding the prices higher when they can buy wholesale for increasingly less is good for their bottom line.

There's also some knowledge of how far people will travel to save a penny or two. We're victims of our own desires for convenience.

Insight into how close pricing can be on Cape to those over the bridge comes at times of really expensive gas. Wareham, the closest thing we have to the Wild West for gas prices, sees prices typically 20 to 30 cents cheaper than its Cape counterparts. It serves as a good barometer for how close station operators can keep their margins and still make money.

When prices on Cape came within 3 to 5 cents of Wareham's, we don't believe it was a sudden change in business model by the independent stations over the bridge. It's more likely that Cape operators were using a per-gallon mark-up closer to the industry standard.

All of that said, there's not a whole lot to do if we want the convenience of readily available gas.

When the majority of competing Hyannis gas stations are content to hold at $2.99 9/10 for weeks on end despite plummeting prices elsewhere, competition is apparently not the answer.

West Main Street, with its four stations within close proximity, sees the best prices in Barnstable. Competition isn't dead, it's just living an unhealthy existence.

We'll all keep paying higher prices because that's what we'll be charged. It's all part of the price we pay for the privilege of living where we do.

Those of us with another petroleum habit -- home heating oil -- are in for a doozy. Today's fill? $560, with three more needed before next summer.

DS II
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